Drug sweep nets 33 in five counties

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State police allege Martin P. Gismondi II made a handsome livelihood of $100,000 a year growing and selling marijuana in Westmoreland County.

On Wednesday, police charged Gismondi, 36, of 338 Waltz Mill Road, South Hungtindon, with operating an indoor and outdoor marijuana growing operation based at residences he owned in Mt. Pleasant and South Huntingdon. He was among 33 people arrested yesterday in a five-county drug sweep.

"The amount of money he earned was adequate to provide a comfortable livelihood. Not only was he growing marijuana in Westmoreland County, but selling it here as well," said Trooper Steve Limani, a state police public information officer.

State police Capt. George Kuzilla, commanding officer for Troop A in Greensburg, said 47 individuals from Allegheny, Cambria, Indiana, Somerset and Westmoreland counties were charged yesterday with various drug offenses. Police are looking for 14 other suspects.

Kuzilla said the drug sweep by local police departments and troopers from Ebensburg, Greensburg, Indiana, Kiski Valley and Somerset picked up major to street-level dealers.

"The arrests stem from months of investigation and range from a mobile meth lab, to indoor marijuana grows, as well as street-level dealers of heroin, cocaine, marijuana and illegal sales of prescription pills," Kuzilla said.

During raids last month at Gismondi's residences, police seized 80 marijuana plants, 10 pounds of marijuana, $85,000 worth of indoor grow equipment and $1,839 in cash. Gismondi was jailed in lieu of $10,000 bond after arraignment before Norvelt District Judge Roger Eckels. He faces a preliminary hearing Nov. 18.

Also arrested was Donald R. Babyak, no age available, of 844 Franklin St., New Kensington, for alleged possession of "a functional, non-operational meth lab."

Police said 14 types of chemicals -- several combustible -- were found when state police troopers from Kiski Valley pulled over Babyak's van for a traffic stop on Feb. 25 and found a portable meth lab inside the vehicle.

"Meth is already a horrific drug entering our communities, but besides the drugs themselves, having these type of combustible materials inside a vehicle is really alarming," Limani said.

Police charged Cambria County residents Adam L. Garber, 29, 261 St. Mary St., and Michael Paul Gongloff, 27, of 158 Gongloff Lane, both of Loretto, after shutting down a meth lab in Allegheny Township in Cambria in September 2009. Police seized 125 grams of methamphetamine and $12,500 in cash.

Police have issued arrest warrants for a Salem Township couple, Dominic M. Cesare, 27, and Janelle N. Cesare, 28, of 201 Route 66, who are accused of running a large indoor marijuana growing operation. During a May 12 raid, police said, they confiscated 40 plants, 13 ounces of high-quality, processed marijuana, a small amount of cocaine and $15,000 worth of growing equipment.

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